Jim Funnell

Jim is a New York-based pianist/keyboardist and composer. He leads his own cross-cultural literature-inspirited jazz trio, Jim Funnell’s Word Out, with which he has notably released two albums, won the Composition Prize at the “Trophées du Sunside” in Paris, played and taught workshops in Europe, Japan, and the United States. Rhythm sections for the trio have included drummers Thibault Perriard, John Betsch, Jeff Boudreaux, Ryo Noritake, Dan Pugach, and bassists Oliver Degabriele, Mátyás Szandai, Takashi Sugawa.

Jim is a New York-based pianist/keyboardist and composer. He leads his own cross-cultural literature-inspirited jazz trio, Jim Funnell’s Word Out, with which he has notably released two albums, won the Composition Prize at the “Trophées du Sunside” in Paris, played and taught workshops in Europe, Japan, and the United States. Rhythm sections for the trio have included drummers Thibault Perriard, John Betsch, Jeff Boudreaux, Ryo Noritake, Dan Pugach, and bassists Oliver Degabriele, Mátyás Szandai, Takashi Sugawa.

He also co-leads AfuriKo, a Paris-born African infused jazz duo, with percussionist Akiko Horii. Together, they have released two albums since 2014, both of which were chosen to receive full funding by SACEM, the French Society of Authors, Composers, and Music Publishers. They have toured extensively in Japan, the UK, France, Germany, Holland, Nepal, the United States, and collaborated with artists such as Bill Sims, Jr., Eddie Parker, Bruno Wilhelm, Hiroshi Fukutomi, and Chris Hayward.

Awards

Industry Awards:
- Full funding (“aide à l’autoproduction“) from French performing rights organization SACEM for the production of AfuriKo’s second album Style (2016)
- Full funding (“aide à l’autoproduction“) from French performing rights organization SACEM for the production of AfuriKo’s debut album On the Far Side (2014)
- Composition prize at the “Trophées du Sunside” with Jim Funnell’s Word Out (Paris, 2011)

Academic Awards:
- Berklee College of Music Professional Writing Division Wayne Shorter Award (Boston, 2007)
- Berklee College of Music Professional Writing Division Arif Mardin Award (Boston, 2006)
- Berklee College of Music Piano Department Achievement Award (Boston, 2006)
- Berklee College of Music Piano Department Chair Award (Boston, 2005)
- Berklee College of Music Full Tuition Scholarship (American School of Modern Music, Boulogne-Billancourt, 2003)

Gear

- Nord Electro 4D Semi Weighted Waterfall SW61 Keyboard
- microKORG XL Synthesizer/Vocoder
- Roland RD-300SX Digital Stage Piano
- Roland KC-350 4-Ch Mixing Keyboard Amplifier